Zarek Kaczka's First VHLM Experiences

[Hank 67]

We'll pick off Zarek's story here in the VHL right where we left it at. He had just joined the Miami Marauders under GM @Ricer13. The team was getting suited up for their first playoff series, of that season, against the Yukon Rush. Through the first two games, Kaczka didn't really do much, only getting a few hits here and there. Then, in the third game, the Marauders got absolutely obliterated, 6-1. Based off team performance, and the limited minutes he was getting, Zarek didn't really expect much out of the coming games individually for him. But, in game 4 of the series, it somehow happened. He scored his first goal in the VHLM! Despite Miami losing 3-2, he was ecstatic about scoring that goal. Miami ended up losing the series 4-2, with an OT loss in game six. This did not really affect Zarek's morale, because he had scored. He had done it, already with limited minutes. This just motivated him to do better. Then, the VHLM playoffs finished up, and the offseason started.

 

Zarek was going to be entering the VHLM dispersal draft, where other teams would have a chance to draft him. Miami told him that they would try and draft him back, and it was a higher probability chance that he would end up back there. This is why he didn't really think much of it when three other teams contacted him, the Rush, Bulls and Marlins respectfully. That's why, on draft night, it came a huge surprise to Kaczka that he had been drafted by the Las Vegas Aces. Heck, he didn't even know that team existed. (Yes this is actually true.)  He hadn't even received a questionnaire from the team asking about him. Obviously, he was skeptical at first, but once he joined the locker room, he almost immediately warmed up to the team. It had a fun atmosphere, and all the players were nice and helpful. The GM, @JigglyGumballs was also a helpful person and really got Zarek involved with the team. Here is also an excerpt from an interview held with Zarek a few days after the dispersal draft:

 

Reporter: So Zarek, what are your thoughts about getting drafted to the Las Vegas Aces?

Zarek: So far, I am really liking it. The locker room and GM are great, and the team has been very welcoming of me.

 

Reporter: How well do you think you will do as an individual in Las Vegas?

Zarek: I think that I can fit in here and succeed. I am seeing it as a great opportunity to build my legacy in the VHLM as an individual.

 

Reporter: How well do you think the team will do, and how do you see yourself helping the team?

Zarek: We currently have a younger squad, but I believe we have the means to become a good team and have a shot in the playoffs. I see myself helping the most on defense. I can make sure the opponents don't get the ball into our net, and I can also score if they need me to.

 

Reporter: One last thing before we go, do you think this will help VHL GMs to notice you and put you on their scouting list?

Zarek: I think it may get me a little bit more noticed than if I was on a different team, I really it into the lineup here and have a good spot on the team.

 

 After the offseason finished up, Zarek was eager to hop into the action. The first week of games quickly came, and the Aces were lined up to play the Rush, Bulls, and the Marlins. Zarek was going to be getting second line minutes, which would offer him good amounts of playing time to get more of a feel for playing in the VHLM. He then went to have an INSANE  first game for the Aces, getting a goal, three assists, two hits, and two shots blocked. It was an all around great performance on both offense and defense. The Aces also won against the Rush that game. Zarek didn't do anything too good in the overtime loss against the Bulls, he just had an assist, three hits, and a shot blocked. The next game though against the Marlins, Kaczka scored a goal, had a hit, and had two blocked shots. Not a bad performance in that 4-2 win over the Marlins.

 

Kaczka (left) celebrates with a teammate after scoring his first goal with the Aces.

 

Now, going in to the second week, Zarek was very excited about how he was performing, and how the Aces were performing as a whole. They were now lined up to play the Marlins, Rush, and Bulls for a second time through. Against the shootout loss to the Marlins, Zarek had his first bad game. He put up zeroes in everything, and had a -1 while on the ice. This was probably a good humbling experience for him, because he was getting too big of an ego at that point. This motivated him to have a bounce back game in the win against the Rush, getting a goal, assist, and a shot blocked. The next game, a loss to the Bulls, he scored another goal, had a hit, and two shots blocked. After these first two weeks, Zarek was seeming to be becoming a great player. 

 

As the season, went on, Zarek was mostly just doing more of the same. Having some good and average game, and then a few bad ones here and there. Some notable ones were against the Bulls in week twelve, where Kaczka scored two goals, had two assists, and a shot blocked. This game is where he also earned his first one star. Then, in the same week against the Reapers, he had another two goal in which he also had two hits. This helped the Aces win both of those games. His current stats are thirteen goals and eighteen assists, which adds up to thirty-one total points tying him for third place for total points among rookies. He also has fifty-five hits and thirty-three shots blocked. He is definitely not having a bad rookie season by any means. As a team the Aces are also doing quite well. They are third place in the Western Conference, with seventeen wins, nine losses, and three overtime losses. The team is also on a five win streak, the longest in the VHLM at the moment. (Not counting overtime wins, shootout wins, and normal wins all combined together.) The season is looking good so far for the Aces as a team and Zarek as an indvidual.

 

The Aces leaving the ice after winning a game.

 

Back to Zarek's own personal life, after week thirteen of the VHLM, he decided to take a two day trip back home to his parents to visit them. It was a fulfilling time for him, he hadn't seen them for many months, and he was extremely happy just to be able to have the opportunity to go visit them, which he was very grateful to @JigglyGumballs for. His parents were one of his main motivators to keep going, because he knew he made them proud, and they were the reason he was even on Earth and had the opportunity to play hockey. Mostly while he was there, he just visited and talked with them. They had a little barbeque party with a few of Zarek's childhood friends and some cousins. It was overall a great time for Zarek, who was worn out and tired, to get some much needed rest and motivation to keep pushing to be better in the VHL. He also had future plans to buy them a better house once he could get into the VHL and start making lots more money. 

 

The two days seemed to be up all too soon, and early morning on the last day, Zarek boarded the long plane ride back to Las Vegas. He really thought on the plane, just about how hockey mattered to him, and how his parents mattered to him, and he really thought about how much more he needed to practice, just to get even close to the level of some of the other VHL players. This made him determined, much more determined than he already was, and as the plane touched down, he knew this coming practice is where he would start. And there he worked his ass off, waiting for week fourteen, where he would hopefully become a new version of himself, becoming an even better hockey player. He knew even if he didn't do good these coming games, he would keep going. Work harder and harder, until he could go down in VHL history. That was his ultimate goal he thought, and now he set out to achieve it, with a burning intensity in his eyes. When he laced up for the first game that week, it all started fueling through him, pushing him to give it three hundred percent effort, give it all for himself, and his team. These games were only a miniscule step in his biggest goal, the whole season, not even that big, but he needed something to build off of, and this is where he would start. This season, right here, right now, is where he begins the first steps of achieving his goal.

 

1,540 Words

Will be claimed the weeks of:

3/4  3/11  3/18

[Hank 67]

Claim 2/3 already

[Vat 234]

20 hours ago, Hank said:

We'll pick off Zarek's story here in the VHL right where we left it at. He had just joined the Miami Marauders under GM @Ricer13. The team was getting suited up for their first playoff series, of that season, against the Yukon Rush. Through the first two games, Kaczka didn't really do much, only getting a few hits here and there. Then, in the third game, the Marauders got absolutely obliterated, 6-1. Based off team performance, and the limited minutes he was getting, Zarek didn't really expect much out of the coming games individually for him. But, in game 4 of the series, it somehow happened. He scored his first goal in the VHLM! Despite Miami losing 3-2, he was ecstatic about scoring that goal. Miami ended up losing the series 4-2, with an OT loss in game six. This did not really affect Zarek's morale, because he had scored. He had done it, already with limited minutes. This just motivated him to do better. Then, the VHLM playoffs finished up, and the offseason started.

 

Zarek was going to be entering the VHLM dispersal draft, where other teams would have a chance to draft him. Miami told him that they would try and draft him back, and it was a higher probability chance that he would end up back there. This is why he didn't really think much of it when three other teams contacted him, the Rush, Bulls and Marlins respectfully. That's why, on draft night, it came a huge surprise to Kaczka that he had been drafted by the Las Vegas Aces. Heck, he didn't even know that team existed. (Yes this is actually true.)  He hadn't even received a questionnaire from the team asking about him. Obviously, he was skeptical at first, but once he joined the locker room, he almost immediately warmed up to the team. It had a fun atmosphere, and all the players were nice and helpful. The GM, @JigglyGumballs was also a helpful person and really got Zarek involved with the team. Here is also an excerpt from an interview held with Zarek a few days after the dispersal draft:

 

Reporter: So Zarek, what are your thoughts about getting drafted to the Las Vegas Aces?

Zarek: So far, I am really liking it. The locker room and GM are great, and the team has been very welcoming of me.

 

Reporter: How well do you think you will do as an individual in Las Vegas?

Zarek: I think that I can fit in here and succeed. I am seeing it as a great opportunity to build my legacy in the VHLM as an individual.

 

Reporter: How well do you think the team will do, and how do you see yourself helping the team?

Zarek: We currently have a younger squad, but I believe we have the means to become a good team and have a shot in the playoffs. I see myself helping the most on defense. I can make sure the opponents don't get the ball into our net, and I can also score if they need me to.

 

Reporter: One last thing before we go, do you think this will help VHL GMs to notice you and put you on their scouting list?

Zarek: I think it may get me a little bit more noticed than if I was on a different team, I really it into the lineup here and have a good spot on the team.

 

 After the offseason finished up, Zarek was eager to hop into the action. The first week of games quickly came, and the Aces were lined up to play the Rush, Bulls, and the Marlins. Zarek was going to be getting second line minutes, which would offer him good amounts of playing time to get more of a feel for playing in the VHLM. He then went to have an INSANE  first game for the Aces, getting a goal, three assists, two hits, and two shots blocked. It was an all around great performance on both offense and defense. The Aces also won against the Rush that game. Zarek didn't do anything too good in the overtime loss against the Bulls, he just had an assist, three hits, and a shot blocked. The next game though against the Marlins, Kaczka scored a goal, had a hit, and had two blocked shots. Not a bad performance in that 4-2 win over the Marlins.

 

Kaczka (left) celebrates with a teammate after scoring his first goal with the Aces.

 

Now, going in to the second week, Zarek was very excited about how he was performing, and how the Aces were performing as a whole. They were now lined up to play the Marlins, Rush, and Bulls for a second time through. Against the shootout loss to the Marlins, Zarek had his first bad game. He put up zeroes in everything, and had a -1 while on the ice. This was probably a good humbling experience for him, because he was getting too big of an ego at that point. This motivated him to have a bounce back game in the win against the Rush, getting a goal, assist, and a shot blocked. The next game, a loss to the Bulls, he scored another goal, had a hit, and two shots blocked. After these first two weeks, Zarek was seeming to be becoming a great player. 

 

As the season, went on, Zarek was mostly just doing more of the same. Having some good and average game, and then a few bad ones here and there. Some notable ones were against the Bulls in week twelve, where Kaczka scored two goals, had two assists, and a shot blocked. This game is where he also earned his first one star. Then, in the same week against the Reapers, he had another two goal in which he also had two hits. This helped the Aces win both of those games. His current stats are thirteen goals and eighteen assists, which adds up to thirty-one total points tying him for third place for total points among rookies. He also has fifty-five hits and thirty-three shots blocked. He is definitely not having a bad rookie season by any means. As a team the Aces are also doing quite well. They are third place in the Western Conference, with seventeen wins, nine losses, and three overtime losses. The team is also on a five win streak, the longest in the VHLM at the moment. (Not counting overtime wins, shootout wins, and normal wins all combined together.) The season is looking good so far for the Aces as a team and Zarek as an indvidual.

 

The Aces leaving the ice after winning a game.

 

Back to Zarek's own personal life, after week thirteen of the VHLM, he decided to take a two day trip back home to his parents to visit them. It was a fulfilling time for him, he hadn't seen them for many months, and he was extremely happy just to be able to have the opportunity to go visit them, which he was very grateful to @JigglyGumballs for. His parents were one of his main motivators to keep going, because he knew he made them proud, and they were the reason he was even on Earth and had the opportunity to play hockey. Mostly while he was there, he just visited and talked with them. They had a little barbeque party with a few of Zarek's childhood friends and some cousins. It was overall a great time for Zarek, who was worn out and tired, to get some much needed rest and motivation to keep pushing to be better in the VHL. He also had future plans to buy them a better house once he could get into the VHL and start making lots more money. 

 

The two days seemed to be up all too soon, and early morning on the last day, Zarek boarded the long plane ride back to Las Vegas. He really thought on the plane, just about how hockey mattered to him, and how his parents mattered to him, and he really thought about how much more he needed to practice, just to get even close to the level of some of the other VHL players. This made him determined, much more determined than he already was, and as the plane touched down, he knew this coming practice is where he would start. And there he worked his ass off, waiting for week fourteen, where he would hopefully become a new version of himself, becoming an even better hockey player. He knew even if he didn't do good these coming games, he would keep going. Work harder and harder, until he could go down in VHL history. That was his ultimate goal he thought, and now he set out to achieve it, with a burning intensity in his eyes. When he laced up for the first game that week, it all started fueling through him, pushing him to give it three hundred percent effort, give it all for himself, and his team. These games were only a miniscule step in his biggest goal, the whole season, not even that big, but he needed something to build off of, and this is where he would start. This season, right here, right now, is where he begins the first steps of achieving his goal.

 

1,540 Words

Will be claimed the weeks of:

3/4  3/11  3/18

really liked how you both added interviews and pictures.  Well written and intresting to read 8.5/10

[Hank 67]

Claim 3/3